› added 6 months ago

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TIL that sugar doesn’t directly cause hyperactivity in children. Instead, the excitement around treats, the setting (like parties), and the expectations of parents and children play a bigger role in perceived energy boosts.

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via reddit.com

Ewnw TIL that a British naval doctor figured out how to “treat” scurvy with lemons and oranges, he then published his findings which were well received. The British navy continued to supply sailors with less effective lime juice and scurvy continued as a major cause of death for a century.
wLgbY TIL that there's a farmer in South Africa who has bred ducks for many years. He uses the ducks instead of pesticides on his farm. Every morning he assembles over 1,000 ducks into a line to go and pluck the pests out of his vineyard.
VBAoD TIL about Leon Trotsky’s grandson who lived to survive Stalin regimes assassination attempts and ran a museum dedicated to his grandfather in Mexico
yV0Aa TIL in October 1974, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was invaded by 5−7 million blackbirds. They blanketed the town in droppings, creating health hazards and disrupting military operations at nearby Fort Campbell. The birds left in spring but caused $2.6M in damages (nearly $15M today).
47w6 TIL that DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy on ‘Star Trek’) had wanted to become a doctor, but could not afford medical school. He received many letters from fans who went into medicine because of his character: “To influence the youth of the country … is an award that is not handed out by the industry”.